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Author
Topic: Is Having HIV Just one Damn Thing After Another? (Read 4130 times)

So no sooner have I recovered (almost) from my eye problems than I've developed an ear infection. Is this what its going to be like, just one damn thing after another?! Its getting hard to explain all the doctors appointments at work. I guess I bought into the "your numbers are good, don't worry" line. Or maybe my numbers have crashed. I've put off my labs each time some fresh hell rolls around, so as not to skew the results.

It may not have anything to do with HIV. Pozzies still get colds and flu and sinus infections just like negative folks and luckily we recover just like they do. Does your doctor think it's related to HIV?

Yeah...living with the virus gets incrementally more difficult each year. I wish I could say otherwise, but it's just too true to deny.

Be glad you're working and have insurance. And cut yourself some extra slack, especially on the details of life. We all experience a certain drift in managing all the crappy little stuff, and it's rougher for some than others.

Just remember something I've always said and believe:The pursuit of excellence is laudable, but perfectionism is neurotic and impossible.

Find measures of excellence in what remains, not portents of doom in what you've lost.

Brent(Who has recalibrated his objectives many times)

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Blessed with brains, talent and gorgeous tits.

The revolutionary smart set reads The Spin Cycle at least once every day.

Not sure how I should respond here actually. It's just an ear infection, not like you have lost your hearing, have you? I lost mine out of nowhere two years ago. I thought it was HIV related and was told it wasn't and could be a result of my diabetes. Although rare for someone my age, I'm 39 but it happens.

On the other hand, not knowing what your numbers are or if indeed they are low, you would think this would be something your doctor would be concerned about. If they were low that is and if your numbers are not low, it may be possibly that you may be acquiring allergies. Or do you have those already? By no means am I trying to diagnosis you but comparing your infections to the ones I had gotten before I found out I have allergies.

Didn't pay attention that you had your cd4 listed but aren't you due for another cd4/vl count or did you just stop posting it? From what I see your numbers are pretty good and vl is low. Not being a doc but I am guessing that your ear infection is probably not HIV related.

I don't want to diminish anything anyone has said because living with HIV does get more difficult each year. I will say though that before I took meds, I did get sick more often and got things I never had before like inner ear infections and shingles. My counts were good during these periods but I can't help but think that the presence of the virus and my body fighting left me a little more vunerable. Since meds, this stuff has stopped (for now). Of course there are now other things to worry about, like continued care and me wondering what the meds are doing to my insides. Overall though, I can't help but have hope and move forward despite the added difficulties HIV brings.

I was not trying to belittle his complaint, just was thinking with his counts being what they are that it probably not hiv related. Not to say I am right but just using my own experience. I'm wondering what his doctor is saying or not saying.

But then it has been said before, this virus affects us all differently. I have been poz 11 years and never had anything major happen other than my hearing loss. I developed allergies but was told it could happen at any time when I didn't have them before. But then some things can happen due to age, not sure how old OP is. I guess what I am trying to say is that hiv is not always the culprit which I was guilty of blaming hiv for things when it was something else.

So no sooner have I recovered (almost) from my eye problems than I've developed an ear infection. Is this what its going to be like, just one damn thing after another?! Its getting hard to explain all the doctors appointments at work. I guess I bought into the "your numbers are good, don't worry" line. Or maybe my numbers have crashed. I've put off my labs each time some fresh hell rolls around, so as not to skew the results.

Despite what others have said on here in regards to each year getting more difficult...I'd try to stay optimistic.

I'm really sorry to hear about the continuing run of health problems (and bum luck) that you've encountered. You were one of the first people here that welcomed me to the forums, and you remarked at the time that we had remarkably similar profiles and numbers. Since that time, our paths have diverged. You numbers have stayed really good, but you've had a string of health issues. In contrast, I've generally felt fine and had relatively few health issues, but my numbers have steadily declined to the point where I had to start meds. I'm not sure which one of us is the lucky one. I can say this -- starting meds for me has been much easier and much less traumatic (both physically and emotionally) than I expected. If you need to start meds to get your virus under control and reduce the frequency of the medical issues you're having, it won't be the end of the world. In the meantime, we're here for you. Hope the ear infection clears up soon! :-)

Yeah...living with the virus gets incrementally more difficult each year. I wish I could say otherwise, but it's just too true to deny.

HiV affects different people in different ways. I don't agree with the above poster because it has not been the case for me. Before I started meds my numbers were ok but I had one thing after another including shingles as one of the posters said above but since starting meds I can honestly say my health has been fine. I feel really well and have seen negative people get more illnesseses than me. That is not to say I don't worry about the long term effects of the meds but so far so good.

Didn't pay attention that you had your cd4 listed but aren't you due for another cd4/vl count or did you just stop posting it? From what I see your numbers are pretty good and vl is low. Not being a doc but I am guessing that your ear infection is probably not HIV related.

Hi Queen, don't worry I know you're not belittling my worries My doc had OK'd a switch from labs every 3 months to every 4 months as the number were pretty stable. But the ocular herpes , a cold and now the ear made me put them off as I waited for each infection to clear. I've got today off, so I'll try to get down to the hospital to have them done.

When I asked my doc about all this he says "its not HIV, its you". Meaning these things could happen anyway. On one level I want to believe him, on another I'm thinking all this crap didn't happen when I was neg!

I see it as peaks and valleys through the road but, in my experience, I don't see my journey (which is about a decade) as one that became or has become "incrementally harder" -- but everyone is differnet. Ten years ago I was having lots of what some would consider minor but annoying issues physically and, mentally, even worse. It got incrementally better for me --- but there were/are/will continue to be shitty periods where it seems like when it rains it pours. A bout of bronchitis last Fall coupled with some other personal shit was a low but it's much better now . Peaks and valleys. I hope it all evens out for you soon.

Best,Mike

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"You know you all are saying that this is incurable. When the real thing you should be saying is it's not curable at the present time' because as we know, the great strides we've made in medicine." - Elizabeth Edwards

Yeah...living with the virus gets incrementally more difficult each year. I wish I could say otherwise, but it's just too true to deny

That is not my experience. I was diagnosed in 2003 and the first 2 - 3 years were hell. I started meds in 2005 and I feel I am getting stronger all the time as I come to terms with my status. I look and feel better now than I have for a long time.

Maybe I am lucky, but to say it gets worse year on year is just not the type of message I would like to send out to people who are adjusting to their diagnosis, It is just negative and frankly, not true.

When I asked my doc about all this he says "its not HIV, its you". Meaning these things could happen anyway. On one level I want to believe him, on another I'm thinking all this crap didn't happen when I was neg!

I didn't know you had a cold too. I'm going to have to agree with your doctor. You've had a run of bad luck with illness her lately but all those areas are connected and to deal with an ear infection or sinus infection after having a trauma or a cold is very common.

An average healthy person can have a CD4 count that ranges from 500 to 1,600. and the normal range for percentages is 35-50%.So your April cd4 count of 600 vl 10,600 cd% 25 are very good numbers. I wish I where as healthy as you.I know it doesn't feel like it right now because of your recent bad luck with health but you really are doing quite well. Everyone gets sick every once in a while. Even the healthiest people.

When I asked my doc about all this he says "its not HIV, its you". Meaning these things could happen anyway. On one level I want to believe him, on another I'm thinking all this crap didn't happen when I was neg!

NG,Your doctor is a lot closer to the truth than you are. As others have noted, with your CD4s where they are, your complaints aren't emblematic of immune deficiency. Our bodies change independent of HIV, and so do our environments; and sometimes those changes conspire to make us ill. If you've healthy to begin with and adherent to a potent therapy, most of your physical complaints will be from sources other than the damned hivvies.

It reminds me of being at 8,000 feet altitude last weekend with about 200 other people with hydrocephalus--on Day 2 of a conference many were adamant that pressure changes impacted their heads were making it difficult to breathe, while others were vigourous and suggesting that the complainers hit the gym when they got back home.

Maybe I am lucky, but to say it gets worse year on year is just not the type of message I would like to send out to people who are adjusting to their diagnosis, It is just negative and frankly, not true.

Well, not true for you. I've been living with HIV for 19 years; and I can honestly say that things have gotten worse either directly (healthwise) or indirectly (finances) because of HIV. If you're doing well, terrific. But for some of us, that's just not the case.

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I've never killed anyone, but I frequently get satisfaction reading the obituary notices.-Clarence Darrow

I couldn't say that things get worse every year for me. My health isn't terrific right now but that is entirely my fault. I've had my ups and downs and I intend on going back up or at least I am working on it.

Well, not true for you. I've been living with HIV for 19 years; and I can honestly say that things have gotten worse either directly (healthwise) or indirectly (finances) because of HIV. If you're doing well, terrific. But for some of us, that's just not the case.

It's like I said in my previous post, gf, HIV affects us all differently. I am sure I will feel it's effects as I get older. Hell, I am feeling effects of getting older more than the HIV. All the damn meds I am on is scaring my liver, I got a spot on my lung, diabetic and hearing loss before I even reached 50. But what can we do but pop a pill and try to take care of ourselves the best way we possibly can.

Well, not true for you. I've been living with HIV for 19 years; and I can honestly say that things have gotten worse either directly (healthwise) or indirectly (finances) because of HIV. If you're doing well, terrific. But for some of us, that's just not the case.

Said right, BT.

I honestly hope that none of the noobs loses his/her insurance, suddenly finds co-pays unaffordable, encounters blatant discrimination, suffers lipoatrophy or develops PN, sees a tumble in his/her numbers, never has to switch cocktails or deal with off-the-wall side effects, never loses a friend to anything but advanced old age, finds his/her relationship of his/her dreams and nurtures it so that it becomes more profoundly supportive with each passing year...and on and on: really I do.

But always remember that, if and when things begin to fray around the edges, you will always find support and compassion on AIDSmeds.com.

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Blessed with brains, talent and gorgeous tits.

The revolutionary smart set reads The Spin Cycle at least once every day.

I wish my counts were as good as yours when I first found out. My t-cells were 225, 20 yrs ago! They've gone up and down and I've had my share of the flu, ear aches, muscle aches, etc. . . Been on and off meds and on them now for the past few years. Knock on wood! I've never had any OI's this whole time.

I wouldn't let the little stuff worry you so much, if you do you'll drive yourself crazy. I know it's easier said than done, but trust me there are other things to really worry about in life. You have to do your best to learn to live with HIV and not let it totally control your life. Counts will go up and down, it's normal. And if you are not sure of something when dealing with your counts, ask us, there's a lot of helpful people here as you can see.

I'm going through my own little bit of hell right now with my husband who has full blown AIDS and if you look for some of my other posts you'll see what I'm talking about. Many are worried about me dealing with all the stress, but I've learned to do the best I can.

I've found a lot of support from a lot of wonderful people here, and I know you will too.